Cotton duster attachment



Dec.

C. W. MCLAUGHLIN COTTON DUSTER ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. 15, 1942 2 sheets-snet 1 AT ToRf/Ey Dec. 7', 1943.

C. W. McLAUGHLJN COWON' DUsTER ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR.

BY f

from/VE),

Patented Dec. 7, 1943 UNITED STATES PATE N T lO.Fl'`.I-C.l:`.

.2,336,113 lc'oTToNDUsTER ATTACHMENT "charles w.-M -;Laugh1in,llmlyrex. Application August 13, 1942, seria1'No.,454,70s

2?O1ai1ns.

This invention relates to machines and vdevices for treating growing plants and crops to destroy injurious insects, commonly known as a duster,

Y tery or other battery carried on the trailer.

The invention also includes instrumentalities Vdesigned to carry out the purpose intended, that 'of dusting the plants while cultivating them, to-

ward which end the device has flexible arms with spreader nozzles, an agitator to keep the powder in proper flowing condition, an adjustable feeder means, motor, and means for fastening the device in single or multiple form to the machine on which used.

With the above and other minor objects in view, the invention will be clearly understood from a perusal of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and in the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view in part of a farm tractor, and illustrating one mode of fastening the duster in position thereon;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the duster removed from the tractor and partly broken away;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 2, in broken formation, showing the flexible arms and spreader nozzles;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of the feeder means, taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view of Figure 3, the view being had on the line 5-5 thereof; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail View of one of the spreader nozzles.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a hopper body or casing generally designated by the numeral I, the hopper being fastened to the rear axle housing 2 of the tractor T by a bracket or clamp 3 by securing the arms 4 of the bracket to the axle housing by the set screws 5, in the application of one only of the units or dusters to two rows of plants.

Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5, the hopper is to be filled with insect-destroying powder of ipreferred type, the `powder being kept in an agitated condition by "an fagitating means `6 secured to 'the motor 'shaft `l, propelled ^byfa `motor to force thepowder out through4 a delivery -conduit tI 2 to Whichcare 4secured Athe flexible Yarms I3, having the spreader nozzles -fI4. `The force of the blast created-by the motor and rtl-1e blades causes the powder to diverge atthe point of a forked head piece vI5 to whichth-e vflexible -arrlns kI3 `are fastened bysoldering, ,-weldingor-other- Wise. On theforward-motion ofthe tractor the powder tends to flow ,against `the ared spreaders Yand the blastingfforce 4issuflicient to thoroughly treat or spread thepowder onto the plants.

-The conduit I2 with the 4forked lhead piece -|15 may also be soldered or welded to ,the connecting ends of 'the arms `I`3 ormade integral Atherewith, and at this point of juncture't'he're is"pr`o vided a band or clamp I6 as a means for supporting the forked head and the arms. A band or clamp I'I is also fastened around the hopper body and a strap or brace I8 is connected to the bands I6 and I1 to complete the support. The housing I 0 is bolted as at I9 to the hopper body I and a third band or clamp 20 placed therearound. By this arrangement the bracket 3 is welded to the bands II and 2f] and a small lug serves as an additional supporting means, the lug being inserted between the lower end of the hopper body and the housing I0 through one of the semicircular openings 22. These openings 22 are for the purpose of admitting air drawn in by the blower blades, as indicated by the arrows.

It will be noted that the lower end of the hopper body I is provided with a funnel-shaped member 23, its lower end being closed by a plate 23-a which has a small opening 24. This opening provides a feeding means for the powder to the blower blades in the housing Iii, the opening being opened fully or partly opened as desired by means of a plate 25 slidably arranged between the members 26, fastened to the lower surface of the plate 23-a. A set screw 26-a holds the plate 25 in adjusted position. The hopper includes a cover 28 with handle 29. The spreader nozzles I4 may be soldered to the arms I3 and further made secure by the cuffs 3D by tightening the bolts 3|.

From the foregoing it will now be apparent that the powder may be freely applied to the plants as the tractor travels along the rows of plants and that the arms I3 may be set in the desired position owing to their exible nature. The revolutions of the blower blades draw in the air, the agitator keeps the powder stirred up for proper feeding. The suction inwardly o the air creates a partial Vacuum between the agitator and the blades, which serves to draw the powder into the conduit head and thence into the arms I3.

While the device is mainly intended for use at the rear of a tractor, it may be fastened to the iront part thereof where the operator may see more clearly its operation as the plants are being treated.

It will be understood that while the disclosure presents a practical working embodiment of the invention, simple in construction and operation, it is capable of some modiiication and alteration within the spirit of the inventive thought and such as would be within the scope and meaning of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A unit duster adapted to be readily detachably secured to a portion of the frame of an agricultural vehicle comprising a casing having a lower open end, a sleeve surrounding the lower end of the casing, a slide valve adjacent the upper end of the sleeve and constituting a bottom for the casing, a funnel having its upper edge closely engaging the inner wall of the casing and its lower edge supported on the slide valve, a fan within thel sleeve and having a shaft extending through the valve into the funnel, agitators on the shaft, a motor secured to the lower end of the sleeve and adapted to actuate the shaft, a conduit extending laterally from the sleeve and in communication with that portion thereof in the plane of the fan, said sleeve having substantially semi-circular openings in the wall thereof, adjacent portions of which merge to form assaut tions of the sleeve forming the openings and a supporting brace secured to the conduit at a substantial distance from the sleeve for maintaining the conduit in rigid relation to the sleeve, said conduit having connections to one or more nozzles.

2. A unit duster adapted to be readily detachably secured to the rear axle of a tractor comprising a casing having a lower open end, a sleeve surrounding the Vlower end of the casing, a slide valve adjacent the upper end of the sleeve and constituting a bottom for the casing, a funnel having its upper edge closely engaging the inner wall of the casing and its lower edge supported on the slide valve, a fan within the sleeve and having a shaft extending through the valve into the funnel, agitators on the shaft, a motor secured to the lower end of the sleeve and adapted to actuate the shaft, a conduit extending laterally from the sleeve and in communication with that portion thereof in the plane of the ian, said sleeve having substantially semi-circular openings in the wall thereof, adjacent portions of which merge to form upwardly extending supports, means for securing the supports to the casing, a vertical clamp having means adapted for securing the clamp to the rear axle of a tractor, spaced horizontal clamping members attached to the clamp and surrounding the casing, one of the clamping members being positioned in engagement with the upper portions of the sleeve forming the openings and a brace secured to the other clamping member and the conduit for maintaining the conduit in rigid relation to the sleeve, said conduit having connections to one or more nozzles.

CHARLES W. MCLAUGHLIN. 

